Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unyielding in his refusal to create a state commission of inquiry to investigate Hamas’ one-day invasion of southern Israel on October 7, 2023, the worst military and intelligence failure in Israel’s history. Claiming the lives of roughly 1,200 people and resulting in the abduction of 251 Israelis and foreign nationals, the attack triggered both the two-year Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon about a year later.

Amid insistent calls from Israeli citizens and Netanyahu’s political rivals that a state commission should be established as soon as possible, he demurred, promising to set up one after the war.

In the meantime, the Israeli army conducted internal inquiries, concluding that senior officers had underestimated Hamas’ military capabilities and had downplayed warnings that a major attack was in the offing. These investigations led to the resignations and removals of several high-ranking officers.

Last month, Netanyahu’s coalition government finally got around to this pressing issue when it voted in favor of a parliamentary bill to create a commission of inquiry. Introduced by Ariel Kallner, a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party, it would lead to a politically appointed panel rather than an independent state commission.

Kallner’s bill, in a word, is divisive.

Universally condemned by the families of the now-released hostages and the relatives of the Israelis murdered on October 7, it is also denigrated........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)